“You’re PREGNANT!” I yelled.
“Shh, Jesus Hol! The whole of Tokyo doesn’t need to know.” She dragged me by the arm away from the crowds and towards the exit.
“Why the hell didn’t you tell me? How long have you known? Is it Ren’s? Does Ren know? Was it planned? How far along are you?” I had so many questions. My head was aboutto explode.
“Woah, woah, woah. Please slow down.” She placed her hand on my shoulder. “I’ll explain on the drive home,I promise.”
“But,wait...”
She was gone, leaving me with a large suitcase and no choice but to chase my newly pregnant best friend who speed walked faster thanI could run.
“B... I need answers.”
*
The second all four wheels of the car hit the expressway I jumped straight in. I couldn’t take itany longer.
“How long?” I startedoff lightly.
“Eight weeks,” Beth said.
“Eight weeks?” I stared at her in utter disbelief. “You’ve been pregnant for eight weeks, and you didn’t tell me?”
“Technically I only found out at week five, so I only kept it a secret from you for the last three weeks, if that makes you feel any better.” She smiled coyly.
“It doesn’t.” I adjusted my seatbelt so I could sit sideways and stare at her unnecessarily. “Is it Ren’s?”
“Of course it’s Ren’s. Do you think I’d cheat on Ren and not tell you? As if!” She rolled her eyes.
“Oh yeah, it’s not like you didn’t tell me you were pregnant or anything,” I said matter-of-factly.
Beth side-eyed me. That was my first warning. Pregnant or not, she could beat me hands down in a play fight. Her legs were as lengthy as stilts but with the strength of Tyson Fury; it was a dangerouscombination.
“I wanted to tell you in person. I have a surprise at the apartment for you. You weren’t supposed to guess the second you stepped off the plane with your crazy pregnancy-detecting superpowers.”
“Sorry, it’s a gift. Did I tell you about the time I guessed my client’s wife was pregnant in the middle of a trial? She was only in the early stages, but he’d had a vasectomy, so it blew the whole case wide open. I also guessed that my aunt Hilda’s daughter was pregnant before she officially wanted to tell everyone. Maybe I should just keep these things to myselfin future.”
“Yeah, maybe.” Beth chuckled.
“I’m assuming it wasn’t planned? At no point in recent years have you told me you want kids; actually, you told me teaching them was enough to put you off for life.”
Heck, Beth teaching them was enough to put me off kids for life. Only an unbreakable, earth-shattering, blood-sharing bond can make anyone think cleaning up baby puke and packages of green coloured faeces for years on endis worth it.
“That still stands. It wasn’t planned, but when I told Ren he was really excited. His friends have started to have children, and it’s making him jealous. He feels like he’s missing out, sohe’s happy.”
“And you? Are you excited? Because you don’t seemso excited.”
At all.
“I am and I’m not. I hear mixed views. People have kids and say they wouldn’t change it for the world, but I have this fear of losing my identity and becoming just a mum, y’know? Plus, I teach kids all day every day. Do I really want my own to contend with when I get home?” Beth gripped the steering wheel tightly. She manoeuvred from lane to lane with a fierce determination. “I don’t know; it’s just a lot to think about isn’t it.”
“I think you’ll make a great mum. Yes, your priorities might change, but I’m sure they’ll change for the better. I don’t know anyone who’s said they wished they didn’t have their child.” There was a woman I’d defended a few years back who was adamant she’d drop them off at school and never pick them up again if they didn’t know her address, but Beth didn’t need to know that.
“Also, this kid’s going to have the best auntie ever, so it’ll be fine.”
“I assume you’re referring to yourself and not my sister.” Beth rolled her eyes.
“Ah, how is Rachael these days? Still a liability?” Beth was the “good child” to putit politely.
